power

Martin Luther King, Jr and Mahatma Gandhi stand as shining examples of the power of non-violent resistance to overcome profound injustice. The similarities in method between the two have oft been noted, as has the one’s influence on the other.

MLK realized that non-violent resistance only works if the group you are resisting possesses the ability to be shamed, embarrassed, guilted, or convicted into rethinking its treatment of you. But if your opponent is perfectly content to use your non-violence as an opportunity to send you by the millions to concentration camps, then another path is required….the path of Bonhoeffer.

“You are in favour of the common people?” said Dragon mildly. “The common people?” said Vimes. “They’re nothing special. They’re no different from the rich and powerful except they’ve got no money or power. But the law should be there to balance things up a bit. So I suppose I’ve got to be on their side.”